Removing and replacing sheaths on needles is typically a two-handed operation with the sheath being held in one hand and the needle syringe being held in the other hand, and requires careful motor control.
Requiring the use of two-hands to remove or replace a needle sheath can be disadvantageous, particularly for medical personnel who may need to also hold a patient or other medical implements. In addition, there is a high risk of a user accidentally pricking themselves with the needle if the sheath and the needle are not correctly aligned. This risk is exacerbated for people with conditions that lessen their motor control in one or both of their hands.
For example, people with diabetes commonly need to self inject insulin. However, people with diabetes commonly suffer from diabetes-related neurological conditions that may impair sensory function and/or motor function in their hands. Similarly, conditions such as arthritis or poor vision can make safely unsheathing or resheathing a needle difficult.
Some devices have been proposed to assist with unsheathing and/or resheathing needles. However, these devices have not been widely adopted, particularly outside of clinical use. Some such devices are complex with a large number of parts, and many still require two-handed operation.
It is an object of at least preferred embodiments of the present invention to address or mitigate at least one of the above mentioned disadvantages and/or to at least provide the public with a useful alternative.
In this specification where reference has been made to patent specifications, other external documents, or other sources of information, this is generally for the purpose of providing a context for discussing the features of the invention. Unless specifically stated otherwise, reference to such external documents or such sources of information is not to be construed as an admission that such documents or such sources of information, in any jurisdiction, are prior art or form part of the common general knowledge in the art.